Stanford and Oregon -- the two unquestioned leaders heading into August -- overshadow a deep league, with teams such as Washington and Oregon State in the North Division and UCLA, Southern California, Utah, Arizona and Arizona State in the South capable of winning eight or more games during the regular season.

The South will feature a tight race, even if UCLA seems one step ahead of its divisional rivals. The team most under the microscope is again USC, which must replace quarterback Matt Barkley. At the same time, Lane Kiffin remains perhaps the most scrutinized coach in college football.

With five teams looking capable of taking the division, head-to-head tiebreakers should determine the final standings in the South. UCLA's date with USC is as important as ever; the same can be said of Arizona and Arizona State, Utah and UCLA and so on. Better yet, with this much competition, can any one South Division team finish better than 6-3 or 7-2 in conference play?

Colorado will continue to be an also-ran, even if the coaching change (San Jose State's Mike MacIntyre stepping in) ultimately yields dividends. The two teams most likely to join the Buffaloes at the bottom of the Pac-12 are Washington State and California. The Cougars are making strides under second-year coach Mike Leach, but they look at least one season away. California hired Sonny Dykes in the offseason, and he needs time and patience with his Air Raid offense.

PROJECTED RECORDS

Champion: Stanford

North

Stanford: 11-1, 8-1

Oregon: 11-1, 8-1

Washington: 8-4, 5-4

Oregon State: 8-4, 5-4

Washington State: 5-7, 3-6

California: 4-8, 2-7

South

UCLA: 8-4, 6-3

Arizona State: 7-5, 5-4

USC: 7-5, 5-4

Utah: 6-6, 3-6

Arizona: 6-6, 3-6

Colorado: 3-9, 1-8

FIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH

WR Marqise Lee, Jr., USC: There is no receiver in college football more dangerous with the ball in his hands, let alone one seemingly always able to get open.

DT Will Sutton, Sr., Arizona State: Sutton's decision to return was a surprise, as he dominated Pac-12 offensive lines in 2012. Arizona State isn't complaining.

QB Marcus Mariota, So., Oregon: He was seventh in the nation in passing efficiency, threw for 2,677 yards and ran for 752 yards with 37 total touchdowns.

RB Ka'Deem Carey, Jr., Arizona: The All-American led the nation in rushing with 1,929 yards and set Arizona season records for rushing yards and rushing touchdowns (23). His offseason, however, was punctuated by an arrest on charges of disorderly contact and assault in an incident involving his pregnant ex-girlfriend. Prosecutors dropped the charges.

LB Anthony Barr, Sr., UCLA: He recorded 131/2 sacks, good for eighth in the nation, and had 21 1/2 tackles for loss.

CAN'T-MISS GAMES

Washington at Stanford, Oct. 5: The Huskies could be a sleeper in the North Division, but Stanford hasn't forgotten about last season's loss on the road.

Oregon at Stanford, Nov. 7: This is tied with Alabama and Texas A&M as the conference game most likely to define the 2013 season.

UCLA at USC, Nov. 30: The Bruins and Trojans will renew their city rivalry with the South Division in the balance

QB AJ McCarron, Alabama: Coach Nick Saban could be willing to open up his offense with several key losses on the offensive line. That should help his quarterback post more impressive statistics, making him a Heisman threat.
John David Mercer, USA TODAY Sports

WR Marqise Lee, USC:
Lee, who finished fourth last year, posted 1,721 yards on 118 receptions with 14 touchdowns and is a game-breaker waiting to happen, but he won’t have Matt Barkley throwing to him.
Robert Hanashiro, USA TODAY

QB Jordan Lynch, Northern Illinois: Lynch set an NCAA record for rushing yards by a quarterback with 1,815 (and also scored 19 TDs) and threw for 3,138 yards with 25 touchdown passes and six interceptions.
Andrew Weber, USA TODAY Sports

QB Teddy Bridgewater, Louisville: Bridgewater is being talked about as the top quarterback prospect in next year’s NFL draft. But first, Bridgewater will lead the Cardinals in the first year of the American Athletic Conference.
Chuck Cook, USA TODAY Sports

RB Duke Johnson, Miami (Fla.): Johnson posted the second-most all-purpose yards in a season at Miami with 2,060 as a freshman. He also set a freshman record with 947 rushing yards.
Mark Dolejs, USA TODAY Sports

RB De'Anthony Thomas, Oregon: Thomas presents a bit of a wild card, given that he will be playing for a new coach and is in the Pac-12 with a lot of night games after voters in the Eastern half of the country have gone to bed.
Kirby Lee, USA TODAY Sports

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Worth watching: RB Brendan Bigelow has the speed, moves and athleticism to put up huge numbers every Saturday.

Bottom line: California seems the most likely of the North's six teams to hit a snag in 2013, primarily because of the fairly large system changes brought on by the coaching change. If coach Sonny Dykes' short history proves anything, it's that his Air Raid offense takes one full season of growing pains before moving forward in Year 2. Year 3 is when everything takes off.

Oregon

2012: 12-1 (8-1)

Worth watching: With Kenjon Barner gone, this marks the first time RB De'Anthony Thomas will get significant touches in the run game. Thomas is a big-play threat every time he touches the football.

Bottom line: The Ducks have enough offensive firepower behind QB Marcus Mariota to again pace the Pac-12 in points and yards, but the changing pieces on defense could be a factor when they meet Stanford in November. The secondary is elite, but Oregon is rebuilding along the front seven. The spotlight will be on former offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich, who takes over as head coach for Chip Kelly, and Scott Frost, who is now the offensive coordinator. Even if Stanford wins the North, Oregon will again be a strong pick for a Bowl Championship Series at-large bid.

Worth watching: The Beavers have quietly developed eye-opening underclassmen talent on both lines. DE Scott Crichton is the latest in a line of quality rush ends to come through Corvallis on coach Mike Riley's watch.

Bottom line: Riley's perennial overachievers won't fly as under the radar as they did heading into 2012, but Oregon State remains a bit overlooked in the Pac-12 picture. The Beavers play hard, are tough at home and find an impact from two or three as-yet unknowns, and this season should be no exception.

Stanford

2012: 12-2 (8-1)

Worth watching: One of a handful of Stanford seniors with All-America potential, LB Trent Murphy opted to return for his senior season rather than enter the NFL draft. He's a skill rusher from his spot at outside linebacker and one of the leaders of a calm and efficient team.

Bottom line: What separates Stanford from the rest of the Pac-12 -- and most of the rest of the Football Bowl Subdivision -- is its play on both lines, with an offensive group teeming with all-everything talent to a defensive front seven physical enough to handle anything an offense presents. The Cardinal win up front without fail, which is why Stanford is again one of the truly elite teams.

Worth watching: After a lackluster junior season, QB Keith Price knows he has one more chance to build upon the promise that accompanied his superb finish to 2011. With a solid running game in place, there's no excuse for Price not to make a huge improvement upon last fall.

Bottom line: Playing third fiddle in the North Division is tough, but the Huskies can have a successful season even if they suffer losses to Oregon and Stanford. The biggest key on offense will be getting Price back to his old tricks. With young talent creating solid depth, Washington should avoid another midseason meltdown and win eight games.

Worth watching: Sophomore WR Dominique Williams made waves over the season's final five games, when the Cougars needed a receiver to step into the void left by Marquess Wilson's departure. Williams will enter this season as the favorite target in a pass-happy offense.

Bottom line: The Cougars offense is ready to explode, even if better days will come once this season's sophomores and juniors gain additional experience. Getting off the field might again be an issue if they can't pressure the quarterback, let alone prevent the long plays from scrimmage that crippled last year's defense.

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Ohio Stadium, Ohio State: Built more than 90 years ago alongside the Olentangy River, Ohio Stadium is most known for its horseshoe configuration that also includes a scenic rotunda at the north end.
Rob Leifheit, USA TODAY Sports

Memorial Stadium, Clemson: Dubbed the 25 most exciting seconds in college football, the Tigers gather at the top of a hill and each player touches Howard's Rock as he sprints down to the field.
Mark Crammer, AP

Tiger Stadium, LSU: Legend says in 1988 when the Tigers scored a game-winning touchdown in the final minute against Auburn, the rumble from the stadium caused the seismograph at the school to register an earthquake.
Patrick Semansky, AP

Bronco Stadium, Boise State: The standout feature is the famous blue turf, which was installed in 1986. It was largely anonymous until the school emerged as a national power this century.
Brian Losness, USA TODAY Sports

Kyle Field, Texas A&M: The experience begins the night before the kickoff when thousands of fans show up for midnight yell practice led by the school's Corps of Cadets. Those yells are part of the game-day traditions of the school that is also home of the "12th Man."
Brett Davis, USA TODAY Sports

Autzen Stadium, Oregon: The unique layout puts the stands right on top of the sunken field, which traps the uproar inside the stadium, making life difficult for the visitors
Kirby Lee, USA TODAY Sports

Rose Bowl, UCLA: No scene in college football might be more beautiful than the sun setting over the San Gabriel Mountains during the Rose Bowl with the crowd full of the contrasting colors of each team.
Kirby Lee, USA TODAY Sports

Lane Stadium, Virginia Tech: Hokies fans explode with the blasting of Enter Sandman on the speakers right before the home team takes the field and don't let up throughout the game.
James Lang, USA TODAY Sports

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Worth watching: S Jared Tevis was a nice surprise as a sophomore, moving up from a backup role to help solidify the back end of the defense. With the offense replacing its quarterback and lead receiver, the Wildcats defense will need to improve in the early stages.

Bottom line: Losing WR Austin Hill to a torn anterior cruciate ligament further hampers an offense that must replace QB Matt Scott. RB Ka'Deem Carey will become an even bigger focal point. While confidence in Rich Rodriguez's offense is high, matching last year's eight wins could be tough.

Worth watching: Oregon's Marcus Mariota will keep QB Taylor Kelly slightly off the radar nationally, but Kelly deserves recognition for the way he handled his first season in Todd Graham's offense. Numbers-wise, Kelly could have Mariota trumped.

Bottom line: A difficult first half that features matchups against Wisconsin, Stanford, Southern California and Notre Dame in the first five games will send ASU off the radar early. Expect this team to rebound to make a move in the South in October and November. The Sun Devils are good enough to perhaps turn the game at UCLA on Nov. 23 into the division decider. Win or lose, the future looks bright under Graham.

Worth watching: DE Chidera Uzo-Diribe is the most irreplaceable member of Colorado's roster. Who else can draw double teams, pressure the quarterback and help out a young secondary? He is one defender the Buffaloes can rely upon come the season opener.

Bottom line: You can make a case for every team in the Pac-12 to reach bowl eligibility except for this one. Despite a tremendous upgrade at coach, with Mike MacIntyre replacing Jon Embree, the Buffaloes are at least two seasons away from developing enough talent to compete in the South.

Worth watching: No other receiver in the country will be the focus of the opposition's undivided attention more than USC All-American Marqise Lee. At the same time, no one will seemingly get open with greater ease. That's not a coincidence: Lee simply cannot be handled by any cornerback in the country.

Bottom line: Unlike last season, the Trojans won't be featured on any list of championship contenders. Maybe that's a good thing. Choosing a quarterback is foremost on coach Lane Kiffin's mind, but issues with overall depth could be the deciding factor for the season. If USC can stay healthy and get efficient quarterback play, this might be one season in which Kiffin's team far exceeds expectations. While he has the school's support, Kiffin needs to win eight or more games to gain greater job security moving ahead to 2014 and beyond.

Worth watching: LB Anthony Barr, a converted offensive skill player, blossomed in Jim Mora's 3-4 defense, tying for the Pac-12 lead in sacks and making life miserable for quarterbacks. Barr has the eyes of NFL scouts and general managers.

Bottom line: This season's recruiting class adds even more athleticism to a strong yet somewhat inexperienced roster. Also, QB Brett Hundley has nearly limitless potential in UCLA's passer-friendly offense. The Bruins don't figure to have a single back to replace Johnathan Franklin, who set the school's single-season rushing record (1,734 yards) and all-purpose yards mark (2,024), but they could use a committee approach. Jordan James, Paul Perkins and Steven Manfro are among the options, and Damien Thigpen could be ready to return by the summer after a knee injury. Mora and his staff are adept at getting the most out of their talent, as several disappointing starters turned in all-conference seasons last fall. UCLA is the favorite in the South and a threat for 10 wins in the regular season.

Worth watching: Sophomore QB Travis Wilson must lend a steady hand to a meat-and-potatoes offense predicated on running the ball effectively and limiting turnovers. What excites Utah are Wilson's physical gifts, which put the team's recent quarterbacks to shame.

What to expect: The Utes were bafflingly impotent offensively last fall. Adding Dennis Erickson as co-coordinator will help, but Utah knows that anything less than a top-notch defensive effort will lead to another disappointing finish. While not a team with BCS aspirations, Utah will win seven games and return to the postseason.